Fernweh, An Ache for Distant Places

Franklin and Dillsboro are two small towns in southwestern North Carolina, just a few miles apart and with many shared area attractions between them.

Each has their own vibe, though Franklin is a proper small town and Dillsboro is more like a village with a tiny entertainment complex.

Both Franklin and Dillsboro are part of southern Appalachia, and just a short drive to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

FRANKLIN
Franklin is in Macon County, located in the Nantahala National Forest along the Little Tennessee River. It was founded in 1820 then incorporated in 1855, and is the self-proclaimed “Gem Capital of the World” backed by its annual Macon County Gemboree.

Franklin is also celebrated for its Cherokee and Scottish heritage, and frequently hosts related events. 

THE SCOTTISH TARTANS MUSEUM & HERITAGE CENTER was first established by the Scottish Tartans Society in 1988, then moved to Franklin in 1994.

Over the decades, the Society has been displaying and educating the public about all known tartans and associated clans around the world as well as the traditions of Scottish Highland attire.

Some of these 600+ varieties of  tartans date back to 1725, and their online database holds over 11,000 different designs. 

The National Tartan Day Festival and Taste of Scotland Festival are just two of the exciting events in Franklin’s Tartan scene.

I attended in April of this year and had a BLAST. Shout out to the extremely refined gentleman dressed to the nines in green and grey that made me wish I was above retirement age. 

Attending this festival is what finally made me decide to join the Scottish marching band in my city.

For as long as I can remember, the sound of a Scottish pipes and drum band rushing into any space has made my heart stop. That tracks since I have a lot of Scottish blood in both sides of my lineage. 

No Scottish festival would be complete without a Bonnie Knees competition, mock battle demonstrations, and Scotch eggs, all of which were found in plenty that day. 

THE WOMEN’S HISTORY TRAIL is the first project of its kind in North Carolina to celebrate the lives and accomplishments of Macon County women over time, including African Americans and the Cherokee Indigenous women who lived there first, and their connection to this land, the Nikwasi Mound. 

The monument above and below is called “Sowing the Seeds of the Future” and it is a Folk Heritage Association of Macon County multi-artist project that was donated to the city of Franklin in 2024.

It is anchored in the Women’s History Park, which is the starting point for the Women’s History Trail.  

Currently, there are 20 stops on the trail that highlight significant historic homes, social clubs, work sites and factories, and other important events for the women of Macon County. 

Most stops are found within a few blocks of Main Street, with just a couple outliers down Harrison Avenue.

Click here to view the official interactive map or click here to view the downloadable brochure. 

NOQUISI AKA THE NIKWASI MOUND is the only surviving landmark of the Cherokee town called Noquisiyi, where Franklin is today. Noquisiyi means “star place” in the Cherokee language and has been found on maps dating back to 1544.

Legends tell of Cherokee women who built the mound, a common practice for elevating important social and ceremonial sites in a village, by carrying baskets of soil to the top.

You can see the mound if you stand in front of the “Sowing the Seeds of the Future” monument and look left. 

DOWNTOWN SITES
As for downtown Franklin in general, Main Street is the place to be. 

Franklin’s Gem & Mineral Museum of Franklin is located in the old jail, and the Macon County Historical Society & Museum is located in the Pendergrass Building, one of the oldest still standing in Franklin.

Outside of the MCHS&M you can visit the “Wayne & Sally’s Handhewn” log cabin from around 1880.

Crabtree General Store & Coffee have a great selection of sweets, locally made goods, and souvenirs. 

Renee’s Cake Shop has a very decadent dark chocolate blackberry cupcake that I encourage you to investigate.

Main Street Coffee & Yogurt, the Rathskeller Coffee Bar & Pub, Lazy Hiker Brewing Co., Hiker Kitchen, Frog Quarters Coffee, and Currahee Brewing Co., are among the many other tempting options in Franklin.

By the time we attended the Scottish festivities, the No Kings protest, visited the museums and Women’s History sites, and snacked our way around downtown, we did not have it in us to sit down to a full meal or drinks anywhere else, but we will be back.

Novel Escape Bookstore should not be missed! 

Artisan Alley Craft Market and the Macon County Farmers Market are two local favourite events where you can fresh produce, handmade gifts and household items, jewelry, body products, and food trucks.

OUTDOORSY
Franklin is very close to the Nantahala Gorge, Cullasaja Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, and the Little Tennessee River Greenway, one of 1,300 federally-designated National Recreation Trails in the US.

It features the North Carolina Birding Trail, an official Monarch Waystation, and other interesting landmarks.

The American Museum of the House Cat is located about halfway between Franklin and Dillsboro. 

I am violently allergic to cats, though it does not stop me from loving them and petting them and then promptly rubbing my fingers into my eyes afterward. 

The exterior is covered in wild paintings, carvings, and signs, while the interior has more quirkier items.

Several real kitties were running around, being admired by guests. If you love cats, this will be your new favourite roadside attraction.

DILLSBORO
Dillsboro is in Jackson County, just barely outside of the Nantahala National Forest boundary, and right on the famous Blue Ridge Parkway.

Front Street is where a small cluster of shops and cafes can be found among the mostly residential properties that make up Dillsboro. 

I would not consider Dillsboro a destination, but plan to spend an hour or two there for a meal and shopping.

There is a block-long stretch of businesses that leads to a small complex with shops and a couple restaurants, and a few more places in the gravel lot across the street.

Quirky Birds Treehouse & Bistro has a fun environment with unique food offerings. 

Rivers & Rails Tavern, Heart Coffee Company, The Well House Restaurant & Deli, Foragers Canteen, Innovation Station Brewery are a few other options if you are staying overnight and want to sample some local brews and treats. 

Dillsboro’s Appalachian Women’s Museum is only 17 miles from the Women’s History Trail in Franklin, and this is a perfect way to end your adventure. While the Women’s History Trail focuses on the women of Macon County, this museum shares the story of Southern Appalachian women from the whole region.

Staff offers a plentiful schedules of crafts, live music, and other events. 

In the area for a while? Follow me to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and to Cherokee, Bryson City, Waynesville, Cataloochee, Brevard, Asheville, or any of western North Carolina’s other beautiful mountain towns!

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